


TWCLND

by def_jeong



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-02-26 13:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18717796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/def_jeong/pseuds/def_jeong
Summary: TWICE shook the world yet again with the song of the year candidate, 'What Is Love?'. That was last month.They’re only nine young girls and it’s already their second tour, TWICEland Zone 2. For an extensively tiring four-month tour around Pacific Asia, Seoul is their starting line. Only interrupted by a summer comeback right in the middle of it.The end half of 2018 will be a bitch.Now they have to face their ultimate adversary. Them and their feelings.





	1. Our Great Nayeon

“Hey Jihyo can I say something?” Asks Nayeon.

“Oh, you’re asking me? That’s bizzare of you, to ask me something.” Jihyo says, not forgetting a seasoning of sarcasm.

“Now this is gonna sound crazy but…”

“Try me.”

“I think Tzuyu hates me.”

“What?” Jihyo is stupefied. But she is more confused.

“I know right?”

“No, what does that even mean.”

“It means she has a great deal of disliking me.”

“A great deal of — what?” Nayeon’s silly words muddles Jihyo.

“Can’t you do something about it?” Asks Nayeon.

“Do something about what?” Jihyo stares at Nayeon with her brows furrowed. They are not on the same page. Not even the same book.

“Tzuyu.”

“Tzuyu? What’s with Tzuyu?”

“I was saying Tzuyu, our maknae, hates me.” Nayeon says clearly, in case Jihyo still don't understand.

 

**JAMSIL INDOOR STADIUM, 18 th March, 2018.**

 

Jihyo finally gets a grasp of what Nayeon is saying. She averts her eyes back to the stage screen.

“I got it the first time.” No she didn't. “What I mean is, why are you saying that.” Jihyo asks for a clarification.

“You didn’t know?” The older asks. “I mean, you’re not feeling it?” Nayeon says. Trying her best to sound witted and cool. But Nayeon can't be witted. Instead, she talks too vague Jihyo is having a hard time apprehending Nayeon's words. 

“Feel what?”

“Tzuyu being moody around me.” Says Nayeon.

“No, I’m not feeling it.” Jihyo says. “Which is why I am asking you. Why does Tzuyu hate you?”

“Well, she gets moody when I’m around her vicinity.” Nayeon says. May or may not be exaggerated. “ And when--”

“Don’t be around her, then.” Jihyo cuts in.

“I’m serious.” Nayeon says with a totally serious face.

“You don’t think I am?” She snaps back with a totally not serious face.

“No, not _at all_. You’re acting like this is--”

“And when what?” Jihyo cuts before Nayeon goes on too far.

Nayeon takes a beat. She hates looking dull. Especially when she’s with Jihyo. “And when I ask her something or make a joke. You know, break the ice. She gets quiet and stuff.”

TWICE have just had yet another successful comeback last month. They’re only a two and a half year old girl group and it’s already their second tour, TWICEland Zone 2. And for a lengthy four-month tour around Pacific Asia, Seoul is their starting line. Only interrupted by a comeback right in the middle of it.

They’ve done rehearsals at twelve yesterday. Now it’s less than four hours to the opening show and Jihyo is checking the stage where they will perform for eighteen thousand ONCEs at six.

“Couldn’t you at least—”

“HOW ABOUT THE VIDEO?” Jihyo deafeningly yells at the stage sound engineer. At the same time cutting and silencing Nayeon. “Sorry.”

Nayeon shook her head. As if it’s saying ‘It’s ok.’.

“One, Nayeon-unnie, you’re being dramatic. Two, Tzuyu is quiet.” Jihyo tells Nayeon. “And stuff.”

“At least ask her what’s up.” Nayeon resorts with a hint of desperation.

“SOUNDS GOOD.” A sound engineer shouts in return from the stage ceiling. Snipping right in the middle of the two’s conversation.

Jihyo gives the engineer a thumbs up and a smile. She takes a pause to Nayeon. “Alright, I will. I’ll help you.”

“Thank you.” Nayeon relieves herself.

“If you can give me an explanation with a clear conclusion that our little sweetheart stops being a sweetheart around you, I will.” Jihyo gives her unnie a condition.

“Okay. She just does.” Nayeon says without an apparent reason.

“Because?”

“Because…” Nayeon is addled. “Okay, Tzuyu is a cutie and her sweetness is unbearable right? But it’s like my full time job is to switch it off. And trust me she wants me to keep that job.” She says.

Jihyo takes a disparaging stare while Nayeon waits for Jihyo’s answer.

“Nope.” She heads to the backstage door which Nayeon, who is still not satisfied, follows. Barely. Thanks to Jihyo’s swift walk.

Nayeon is still not giving up. “Alright, it was morning in the dorm. Tzuyu and I were--”

“Wait let me just stop you right there.” Jihyo prevents Nayeon from going on. “What are you doing?

“I’m telling a story.” Says Nayeon, sounding like a five year old.

“Really?”

“I’m trying to give you a conclusive explanation.”

Storytelling isn’t really in Jihyo’s schedule for today. 

“Fine. Let’s just say, as impropable as it is, Tzuyu really does hate you.” Says Jihyo.

“She really does.” Nayeon intercepts.

“Sure. Let’s say you’re not delusional. What’s the worst thing that could happen? Tzuyu is still a teenager, she gets moody. And so were we at her age.” The younger leader says. “You still are but…”

“It’s more than just being moody, Jihyo. I swear I can feel her hate and anger in me.” Nayeon fists her hand.

“Nayeon-unnie…”

Nayeon exhales her breath. “Sorry, that was too much.”

“If I could, I’d do it. Really. But at the moment, I am a little bit occupied.” Jihyo says.

“Are you really that busy?”

“Actually, not really.” Jihyo says, a little flustered. She nearly giggled.

“Then why won’t you--” Nayeon raises her hand in Jihyo's direction.

“I’ve been in this stadium since eight. You’ve been here for two hours.” She raises her two fingers. “The show is starting in three hours.” She then raises three fingers. “There’s plenty of things you and I can be bothered with instead of your little _conundrum._ ” Jihyo says, stopping right before they push the backstage door.

“It’s not just a little conundrum.” Nayeon is disgruntled at how Jihyo is taking her situation.

“Yes, it is.” Jihyo states. Trying to get Nayeon to surrender. But now, Nayeon is still going.

“It’s just another concert, I can handle it and have fun with it. For three hours. But this problem, this Chou situation. It will last for months if you don’t do anything about it.” The older says. “This could really harm our team.”

“Then why don’t you do something about it.” Jihyo silences Nayeon as they continue their walk to the backstage corridor.

“Listen, I would love to help you. But is this a problem so miniscule 'our great Nayeon-unnie' can’t handle it?” Jihyo says to Nayeon who is having a hard time constructing words.

Nayeon is powerless againts Jihyo. She’s finally giving up. “Fine.”

“Thank you.” Jihyo is pleased. Nayeon is finally done.

“I’ll ask Jeongyeon.”

Jihyo stops her walk, peeved by Nayeon’s immaturity. But she really, really don’t wanna care about this anymore. Maybe it’s a little bit wiser to leave this to Jeongyeon.

And so they split paths. Jihyo heading to the left corridor and Nayeon to the right.


	2. Lines

JYP ENTERTAINMENT OFFICE, MEETING ROOM

“What do you think they’re talking about in there?”

“The usual big man BS, I guess. How am I supposed to know.” Chaeyoung shrugs.

“No I’m just asking you because we’ve been sitting on these cold benches for a full hour” Dahyun raises her voice to the board room.

Groups in the JYP Entertainment, like TWICE, distribute their lines in an audition kind of way. Everyone in the group sing a song, which is already composed and written, sometimes by the members themselves. Then they wait for a team of executives to decide whose part leaves and whose part stays.

While everybody is done with line recording days ago. The rap line, Dahyun and Chaeyoung has just finished their recording for their upcoming comeback an hour ago. No, not the summer comeback to interrupt the tour, but the one after that. The one for November. This is how serious the company plans their music.

They are now waiting for the music board, including Park Jinyoung himself, to decide the final line distribution. They wait outside the very room where the meeting is being held.

“You think we’ll get more than two lines this time?” Chaeyoung asks sarcastically to Dahyun who is sitting across her.

“I said it before, Chaeng." Replies Dahyun. "I don’t really care for how much lines I get. As long as--”

An open of a door cuts Dahyun. The two's eyes race to the door. One man went out of the meeting room and they immediately stood up.

“PD-nim!.” Chaeyoung and Dahyun says in unison as they bow to founder of the company himself. “How was it?” The youngest asks.

“Oh, it was great. Like, real good.” The middle-aged man says. “You did amazing, You guys really improved a lot.”

“Thank you PD-nim!” The two says.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. ‘What Is Love?’ success really changed the board.” The big man says.

“It’s alright, PD-nim. Hahaha.” They laugh.

“You have a big show to perform tonight. Don’t be late.”

“We won’t. Thanks again!” They say in unison, again.

They then started walking, with Jinyoung’s ‘proud dad’ of a grin still lingering on them. They head to the parking lot where their driver is waiting. They find their driver eating a cup of noodles.

"Annyeong, Jung-oppa." Says Chaeyoung with a charming smile.

"Oh gihs, you'he heee." He is bolted as his mouth is still loaded with noodles.

"Yes, we are here." Dahyun heaves her brown satchel into the car. “Can we go to a starbucks on the way there?”

“Anything for the princess.” He throws the cup to a nearby can and run to the driver's seat.

“Why did we wait for an hour again?” Chaeyoung says as she buckles her belt prettily in the van.

With a starbucks to drive through and a stadium to head. Along with time to not waste, he started driving.

 

“You think he really gave us proper lines time?” Chaeyoung asks while her big eyes look out to the car window.

“What’s with you and lines, geez.” Dahyun questions.

“You mean what’s with us and lines.”

Dahyun rolls her eyes. Chaeyoung is a sweet girl but when she's unbearably bitter, she's unbearably bitter. “Don’t even…”

“You know we both need more of them.” Chaeyoung firmly states.

“Lines? No. It’s not like we need them.” Dahyun says. “I mean, at least we got a lot last time.”

“Yeah but remember the one before that? Heart Shaker?” Chaeyoung asks Dahyun.

“I think you forgot the part when we were in Japan for nearly a month.” Dahyun harks back.

“Yeah, but I don’t think you’d forget the part when our lines were reduced to fucking adlibs.” Chaeyoung is getting harsh with her words.

“They weren’t ad libs." Says Dahyun, right in Chaeyoung's face. "And everybody loved Heart Shaker. And what’s with the swearing.”

“Oh, like how Knock Knock was a huge hit?” Chaeyoung retorically asks with loose sarcasm.

“Nobody hated Knock Knock…” Dahyun furrows her wide eyebrows. “What are you talking--”

“That’s the point.”  Chaeyoung says abruptly.

“What? What was the point? Can’t you slow down?” Dahyun is lost in Chaeyoung’s little words. “Listen, if you are bitter about lines, you did hear him, right? ‘What Is Love?’ changed the board someway somehow. That means he’s gonna give us lines you long for. So just calm down, geez.”

“I have no idea how his mind works.” Chaeyoung weirdly starts another topic.

“Whose mind?

“’The Asiansoul’ himself,” Chaeyoung airquotes. “If he could give us actual lines. Or even just decent lines and in the process, actually make money with it. Why don’t do he just do it? Imagine the disappointment. Knowing that TWICE’s rappers became background cheerleader for a title song.” Chaeyoung says furiously as she has been since she entered both this car and topic.

“You know what? I have no idea why you’re bringing this up just now. We were talking to the real guy five minutes ago. Why didn’t you say anything?” Dahyun is sick of Chaeyoung’s bickering.

“Because asking him for lines is no different from asking an ape for--”

“Listen, we won’t be going anywhere if you and me keep saying one of us is wrong.” Dahyun interrupts. “I just wanna say I don’t care about lines. I wouldn’t even care if my lines are reduced to background noise. Because no matter what, you and me are still a part of TWICE.”

“Why wouldn’t you--“ Chaeyoung says as she finds ways to tear into Dahyun’s opinion. Which she inconceivably disagrees with. But instead;

“Ah forget it. You’re right. We’re going nowhere with this.” Chaeyoung returns to being lost in the streetview of Seoul.

“But what was the point anyway.” Dahyun is still lost in Chaeyoung’s words.

Dahyun waits for an answer. And although Chaeyoung hears Dahyun’s words perfectly, she wouldn’t bother to respond to dahyun in any shape of human language. Chaeyoung is clearly at her worst mood. So Dahyun simply leaves Chaeyoung in her own world. Trying her best to unbother the younger of Rap Line. Making the rest of the way to the stadium a silent journey.


	3. Quartet

TWICE’s staff and crew, and the stadium engineer fills the stage. Double checking, triple checking every show equipment. This is opening night and they’re not letting down a single person. Meanwhile, those who are not on the stage, are in the dressing room, preparing costumes and make up. And those who are neither, are probably having lunch or sleeping. It’s a long day after all. A long day but it has barely started. They have a concert to do in three hours.

This leaves the hallway spacious. It's where you can find Jeongyeon strolling with her attention glued to her phone. She’s in one point of the internet where the funniest things lies. Then something made her laugh. And it’s a laugh. Not to forget that Jeongyeon laughs emphatically boisterous.

“Whoa, I think you shook the whole of Korea there.” Jihyo takes her face backwards, surprised by Jeongyeon's noise.

Jihyo shares the hallway where Jeongyeon is laughing through. “Oh, Jihyo!”

“Correct. It is I, Jihyo.” Jihyo states dramatically.

“You’re going somewhere?” Jeongyeon puts her phone away now that there’s another human being in the cavernous hallway.

“The cafeteria.” Jihyo says. “I mean, it’s a waiting room, but cafeteria sounds a lot more neat doesn’t it.”

Jeongyeon laughs. A lot smaller than the previous laugh she exploded to. “Yeah.” Jihyo’s jokes have always been adorably hilarious.

A few seconds into Jeongyeon’s departure with Jihyo’s unconditional less than normal human walking speed, Jihyo opens a box of conversation.

“If you think about it. My life has been pretty crazy.”

“Your life?” Jeongyeon asks. And although Jeongyeon didn’t mean a hint of bitterness nor sarcasm, Jihyo doesn’t want Jeongyeon to take it the wrong way.

“Oh sorry. I mean, our lives has been pretty crazy.” Jihyo redress herself. “Like, in what? Three years? We’ve come on top in becoming one of the most successful girl group in Korea. Ever.” She continues. “Actually, you don’t even have to think about it.  

“Hahaha, yeah.” Jeongyeon grins. “You don’t.”

“All the hard work really paid out, huh.”

“Hard work and accidents.” Jeongyeon admonishes Jihyo.

“Accidents?” Jihyo is not really positive about Jeongyeon’s blunt word.

“We’ve made a lot of mistakes.”

“But I wouldn’t say accidents, though.” Jihyo examines Jeongyeon’s words. “Coincidences. Yeah that’s the word.”

“Coincidental accidents.” Jeongyeon restates.

“A ton of hard work and coincidental accidents” They agree to disagree to their words.

“You’re wrong, though.” Jeongyeon tilts her little face. “You said one of the most successful girl groups in Korea. We’re not. We’re one of the most successful girl groups in the world.” Jeongyeon says charmingly. Giving Jihyo a bright laugh.

“And that’s after two cancelled debuts.” Jihyo says. Throwing Jeongyeon in sudden bafflement.

“Two cancelled… 6MIX and?”

“Oh sorry. There was one group. Barely lasted for a week. Long story.” Tells Jihyo.

“Okay?” Jeongyeon is even more confounded.

“Wait no. It wasn’t a six-mix. It was a ‘Quartet’ or something.”

This beats Jeongyeon above all else. She has been an artist for two and a half years, after training for five years. She has been under the same agency for almost 9 years. And she is incredibly dumbfounded. There’s another group she wasn’t informed of.

That Jihyo was told and she was not.

“But still, Nation’s girl group is one a hell of a title you know.” Jihyo goes on. “Guess it really is one in a million huh? Billion even?”

Meanwhile the blue haired girl is still lost in her thoughts. Then out of her befuddled mind, she brought up something that she has been wanting to say for quite a while.

“Can I ask you a favour?” Jeongyeon says. This time a bit lacking in confidence. “If you don’t mind?”

“Be our guest.” Jihyo welcomes a question.

“So for the past three years, we’ve made about what? Eight? Nine releases?” Jeongyeon’s hands dance along with her explanation.

“Yeah, that’s about right.” Jihyo confirms.

 “And so far, we have not done a single failure in a comeback.” Jeongyeon slowly climbs her idea.

“Not that I am aware of, no.” She answers Jeongyeon carefully. Jihyo starts to speculate on what Jeongyeon might say.

“And you have probably heard that some of us has been making music.”

“Where are you going with this?” The younger leader wonders.

“And you, among the nine of us, is the closest to Jinyoung PD-nim.”

Jeongyeon gives Jihyo time to think. They are now in the ballpark. Jeongyeon’s ballpark.

“Jeongyeon-unnie…”

“Yes?”

“So here’s what I’m getting. You’re asking me to ask Park-Jinyoung PD-nim to ask the group to make music for ourselves?”

Jeongyeon doesn’t return a yes. Rather, she nods a confident yes.

“And why are you asking me?” Jihyo instead asks back.

“Because you’re the closest to him.”

“And me being the closest to him can do what again? Jihyo winces her eyes in question.

“It’s like you’re the golden child, y’know?” Utters Jeongyeon something that Jihyo has little awareness of.

“In TWICE?”

“In the whole company.”

“Wouldn’t that be Suzy-unnie?” Jihyo blocks. Throwing Jeongyeon off balance.

Jeongyeon takes a breath. She’s preparing something.

“Okay. First, no offense.”

“Wasn’t taking any.”

“I’m not saying that he would do everything you ask for because you’re PD-nim’s golden child. Or that I’m saying you are are a golden child. But at least you being closer or even the closest to him makes it easier.” Jeongyeon says. “And imagine our fans’ excitement when they’re told the nation’s girl group makes their own music.”

“It would be insanely great.”

“It would be insanely great.” She repeats Jihyo’s words.

This puts Jihyo in a ponder. Jihyo’s job, other than being the main vocals, is to be a leader. And being a leader means to decide and consider everything that has something to do with the team. But now, she is unable to think straight. 

“So, can you do it?” Jeongyeon asks, almost enthusiastically.

“I can do it. I’ll ask Jinyoung.” Jihyo says, relieving Jeongyeon. “To the younger Jinyoung. Your Jinyoung.”

“What? What does that even--”

“Ok, I can’t do it.” Jihyo says disconcertedly. Throwing Jeongyeon back to the realm of bafflement.

“Because?”

“Letting us make our own songs is a great idea, don’t get me wrong. But…” Jihyo pauses.

“But?”

“It would be harder for me to explain than to say yes.”

“Then just say yes.” Jeongyeon is having a hard time understanding Jihyo.

“No.”

“Why?”

“I… can’t…” Jihyo hesitantly says.

“Not even why?”

“Not even a short explanation.” Jihyo says, toneless.

“What about a long explanation?”

“Which you and I don’t have time for.”

“Alright. After the show?”

“No Jeongyeon-unnie. I just can’t do it.” Jihyo says, breaking the conversation.

A pause. They stare lightly into each other. Jeongyeon is still beyond the unsatisfying reason while Jihyo is finding the best way to end this segment. Until Jihyo’s phone rang and Jeongyeon’s phone chimed. Jihyo then picked up her phone, hanging Jeongyeon’s conversation.

“I’ll wait after the show.” The short-haired girl leaves Jihyo, unsatisfied. She heads to the hallway, opposite of Jihyo’s direction.

“See you later, Jeongyeon-unnie.” Jihyo says, before sticking the phone to her left ear.

Yet another iron in the fire.


	4. No, You Can't

Sana’s brown eyes walk around the fridge. They jump from the upper case to the lower case. From coca-cola to pepsi. And while her eyes is dancing and her mind is spinning, her head is tilting in motion.

“Hmm.” She mutters. Cutely.

Tick, tick, tick.

Sana notices the clock ticking above her. 12.12 PM. This hits her. She has been doing nothing but stare at the refrigerator for the past five minutes. Her hand then moved itself to grab a drink from the upper case.

JYP ENTERTAINMENT BUILDING, DANCE PRACTICE ROOM #2

She immediately goes back to the practice room where she finds Mina sitting next to the huge mirror, attention locked to her phone, mindlessly. Sana takes a seat on the long couch across the mirror and gulped in the can of coca-cola.

“Wait I took the coca-cola?” Sana says to no one but herself. She thought she took the pepsi. And after staring at the can in confusion, she gulps the can anyway.

She burps. Loudly. While at the same time, Mina coughs. Just as loud, if not louder. This snatched Sana’s attention. Her head turns to Mina.

“You alright there?” Sana asks in the mother tongue they share.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Doesn’t sound like it.” Sana almost clicked her tongue.

“Sana, I’m fine.” Mina says. “You wanna go again?”

“Uhh, sure let’s go.”

Mina stood up. Tediously. She took center position in the room. Right in front of the huge mirror. Sana went to the computer sitting on a desk next to the door. She drags the mouse to pick an audio file with the name TRAINING #18.

A loud and fast electronic music starts playing and the two dances along with it. Sana dances with power and a subtle taste of sweetness, as the sexy cutie she is. Meanwhile grace, agility, and beauty should be the words used to define Mina’s dancing. Except that now, she is not any of those. She’s unimpressing and almost ponderous.

Sana takes notice of this, but Mina is probably just tired. They’ve went three times with this quick song.

Until, out of nowhere, Mina bursts herself to cough uncontrollably.  

“Woah!” Sana shouts as she dashes to the computer to stop the music.

And when Mina stopped, she utters “I’m fine.” as it’s her last breath.

“No you’re not. You ARE NOT Fine.”

”What gives?”

“Are you playing dumb? Your coughs are far from normal.”

“What, no. I’m completely okay” Mina says as a big hard cough ironically follows her words.

“You’re pretty far from okay, Myoui…”

“How many times do I have to tell you¾“

“Oh for god’s sakes. I’m telling Jihyo.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“I would, and I’m doing it now.” Sana says as she took her phone.

Mina stares at Sana. “I can still do the show.”

“Sure you can.” She stares back with a phone on her ear dialing.


	5. A Broken Dancing Machine

The dressing room is vacuous and noiseless. Dozens of outfits are hung at the end of the room. Glossy gold dresses, classy women suits, bright petal dresses, and many, many more outfits for the show. At one end of the room, three dressers with mirrors and lights are lined up against the wall. And on one of the dresser, Momo sits quietly.

Her eyes wander off the walls, slowly crawling to the hangers, then to the table. Then, they look at the mirror. She finds herself there. She takes time, staring at herself. She then rises. She bends her body from her chair to get closer to the mirror and stares deeper into herself. She is inches away from herself.

She stood up right. While the chair she was sitting on got pushed back. Without music, she starts dancing.

Momo is TWICE’s lead dancer. So far as to hold the name ‘a dancer sent down by the gods’. She is a dancing machine after all. It’s well-deserved, she dance as a master would dance. Her moves are bold and mesmerizing. Agile as a panther in a zoo. Wild but tamed.

But yet, in this empty room, she is dancing sluggishly. Slow. Heavy, but not in an intimate kind of way. It’s almost drowsy. As if she is a car that has run for miles without a drop of gas. Still, no music is heard. And still, she dances.

Then a knock is heard.

Momo isn’t bothered.

‘KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK’ But she keeps dancing, not bugged by the door at all. Then the door opens.

“Oh, Momo-ssi.” Jeongyeon comes in slowly.

“Jeongyeon-unnie.” Momo says as she quits her dancing.

Hearing her name and the word unnie in the same word from Momo gets Jeongyeon. It's a running joke between thet two.

“Very funny.” She says. “You were dancing?”

“Umm, yeah.” Momo says, standing fumblingly.

“Why’d you stop?” Jeongyeon seeks for a seat to watch this private show.

Momo resumes. Her dazed and dozy dance. She dances with a wide space. Moving a couple of feet to the front and back. Almost a ballet. It would be perfect to be accompanied by a mellow jazz drumming.

Jeongyeon wonders. “Odd.” She tastes something is out of place in this very dressing room. It’s not the room. It’s not the air conditioner that’s only blowing at one specific direction. And it’s not the slightly warm temperature that’s for sure.

“What’s going on, Momo?” Jeongyeon asks, relaxed on the make up chair she is sitting on.

“What is going on?” The dancing Momo asks back.

“You’re dancing… how do I put this… distinctively.”

Momo furrows her brows in confusion. Jeongyeon is saying something but it’s not out clearly just yet.

“Oddly.” Jeongyeon puts it. “I mean, you’re not dancing like you normally do.”

“I’m not? How do I normally dance, then? You’re even oddly-er, Jeongyeon.”

“Something’s bothering you.”

“Maybe I just feel like dancing like this.”

“What’s the matter?” asks Jeongyeon. Persisting.        

“You’re pushing me.” Momo feels a little squeezed.

“No I’m not pushing you, I’m asserting you. C’mon. Tell me. What’s up?” Jeongyeon then starts poking Momo on her toned stomach in Wonder Girls. “Tell me, tell me, te-te-te-te-te-tell me.”

“Hahahaha.” Jeongyeon triumphed in making Momo laugh. “Alright, alright.” Momo exhales her breath as she sits herself down on the floor with her hands holding her leg together. “What happened in sixteen?” She asks, looking up to Jeongyeon on the chair.

Momo mentions a random number and Jeongyeon is at sixes and sevens for a few seconds. “The show? Our debut show?”

“And the stories, and the elimination. What happened?” Momo continues with a subtle rise on her tone.

“How can I tell?” Jeongyeon is unable to answer Momo’s curiousity.

“How can I tell!?” Momo raises her voice immensely.

Jeongyeon’s mouth is shut tight for Momo’s unusual anger startled her.

“I’ve been watching the episode, the finale, a hundred times, Jeongyeon. And it’s been stuck on my mind for weeks.” Momo says as she slowly gets up. Jeongyeon finally gets a grasp of what is going on.

“But you know what’s the worst of everything is? It’s not that I was eliminated. And it’s not that I wasn’t ‘good enough’ in his eyes. But it was because they got me out of the team and I was called back in less than a day.”

Now knowing the harshness, Jeongyeon is still clueless and is probably helpless facing Momo. This is really out of character from Momo.

Jeongyeon gulps. “So this is what’s been bothering you?”

“But why? Why was I disqualified and called back to the group?” She menacely and slowly approachs Jeongyeon, getting closer and closer with every word. “I’m fine being not good enough for the group but did they really have to play with me? Was I called back just to become an ‘eye-pleaser’?” Momo resumes fiercely as she gets closer while Jeongyeon is still defenseless on her chair.

Jeongyeon doesn’t say anything. She can’t say anything. She is waiting for Momo to simmer down.

And after quite a while, Momo finally cools down. She rests her hands against the table. Jeongyeon stands up and she opens her mouth.

“Momo, you’re not an eye-pleaser.” Jeongyeon says, barely realizing her words could be misinterpreted. “I mean, you do please eyes. But don’t know what you really are. You’re not just an eye-pleaser. Lia-unnie said it herself. ‘A dancer sent by the gods’. And that’s what you are, an amazing performer sent by the gods.”

“Then why was I eliminated in the first place!?” Momo yells. Throwing Jeongyeon back to her chair. She is staggered once more.

Momo then fell on her knees. Her knees made a lightly hard sound as they meet the floor harshly. Momo is now a time bomb and Jeongyeon is anxiously looking for the right wires to cut. “Momo…” She caresses Momo as she rises tediously.

“Sorry, it’s just…”  Momo’s eyes start to glimmer.

Seeing Momo’s eyes getting watery, Jeongyeon hugs her on the floor. She hugs her as tight as possible. She hugs her as close as a friend could. Letting tears to stream down her Japanese friend’s face.

“Momo, you’re a fantastic artist and you’re one of my best friends. Without you, TWICE won’t be TWICE. Don’t you ever forget that.” Jeongyeon says as they drop the hug to the cold floor. They are now facing each other on the floor.

Hearing this, Momo feels a lot better and her tears starts to settle. She tightens her hug a once again.

A while after feeling Jeongyeon’s warmth, she starts letting go of her friend and they get back sitting on their butts.

“You godsent dummy.” Jeongyeon says. Laying a little laugh on Momo.

They then leave themselves to a moment of peace. To think and to reconsider everything that has happened. How close of friends they are and how grateful they are to have each other.

Jeongyeon’s phone ringing broke the warm silence. She took it out of her pocket.

“Yeoboseyo...  
I’m at the dressing room…  
Why would I go backstage?…  
Alright, alright I’ll be there…”

“Who’s that?”

“Nayeon, she wants me to go backstage. Wanna come?” She puts the phone back to her pocket.

“Actually no, crying is pulling my eyes down.” Momo wipes her face as she goes to a couch. “I’m just gonna take a little nap.”

“Oh, alright then. Don’t sleep too long, we got a concert to perform. Can’t do it without ya.” Jeongyeon heads to the door as she blinks her left eye. Unsuccessfully. She winks both eyes instead.

“You do know you can’t blink properly right?”

“Have a nice nap.” Jeongyeon closes the door.


	6. Lovely Phone Call

“What’s up, Minatozaki?” Jihyo picks up her phone.

“Good news or bad news, what do you want to hear first?” Sana curiously offers.

“I don’t know, good news?”

“Good news, Mina is doing great.”

“What’s the bad news then?”                                                      

“I lied, Mina is sick.”

“What?” Jihyo hits her brakes.

“I don’t think she can go.”

“That wasn’t funny, Sana.” Jihyo says, surprising Sana.

“Oh, I’m... sorry.” She apologizes. She wasn’t expecting Jihyo to take it seriously.

“It’s okay.” Jihyo says. “She can’t go today?”

“And… tomorrow…” Sana hesitately answers. Trying her best to make the news as less shocking as possible.

“It’s that bad?”

“She’s coughing concerningly.” Sana says as Mina’s cough escapes through her phone.

Hearing the loud noise, Jihyo takes a deep breath. Yet another headache to handle. She rubs her eyes while she takes her phone off her ears.

“God-fucking-damnit.”

 

Sana is left waiting on the other side.

“Alright, just get to the stadium right now, I’ll handle it later.”

“Okay, Jihyo-chan. See you later.” She replies with her bubbly voice as she closes the phone.

Jihyo smiles, it’s the ‘chan’.

“Oh how do I say I love you, Minatozaki Sana.” She says to herself as she continues her high-speed walk through the hallway.


	7. 2-1

“What couldn’t you say through the phone?” Jeongyeon asks Nayeon who is sitting on a black box with her elegant legs crossed.

“What took you so long?”

“Oh sorry, I just had to cross this gigantic stadium." Jeongyeon says with a healthy dose of sarcasm. "What’s up?”

“You did? Sorry about that.” Nayeon apologizes. Not really sorry.

“Bygones be bygones. What’s up?”

“I heard there’s a nice eatery here.”

“And?”

“And, it’s just right outside of the stadium.” She points her index finger outwards.

“I’ve just eaten.” Jeongyeon repels.

“And, I haven’t.” Nayeon indirectly asks Jeongyeon.

“No, no, no.” Jeongyeon throws her hand to Nayeon. “I’m not going, I got things to do.” Jeongyeon turns herself to face the other way. Ready to escape Nayeon.

“No you don’t. Not even leader Park is busy. You’re going with me, honey.” Nayeon pulls her arm.

“So you asked me to walk all the way here, just to walk all the way there?”

Nayeon takes a moment to take in her own ridiculousness. “Yeah, pretty much. Chop chop.”

Jeongyeon is bewilderingly annoyed by Nayeon’s unnecessary request. But after all, Nayeon is her buddy. She can’t help it.

“C’mon honey, don’t freeze. I can’t walk alone.”

And so Jeongyeon went with Nayeon. Without forgetting a taste of bitterness. They walk together. Less than a minute after, Jeongyeon’s mind starts moving.  Her head is putting things together. Everything is adding up.

“You didn’t call me just to walk with you right?” Jeongyeon asks, slowing down her walk.

“What do you mean, you are walking with me right now.”

“No I mean, there’s something going on.”

“Something going on between?” Nayeon plays clueless.

“Something’s up.”

“No something’s not up.” Nayeon denies. With a less than convincing facial expression. “Why?”

Jeongyeon doesn’t answer. She playfully stares at Nayeon.

“Do you have a sixth sense for things like this?” Nayeon is finally giving in.

“Nayeon, you would be last place in a lying competition.”

“Isn’t that like, a good thing? Because if I’d be last place in that competition, I’d be bringing home gold from an honesty competition.”

“Not necessarily.”

“Really though, if you think about it. I would be great--”

“What’s bothering you?” Jeongyeon catches Nayeon before she wanders to her own world.

“More of a who’s bothering me.”

“Then who’s bothering you?”

“It’s Jihyo.” She says nimbly.

“What did Jihyo do?”

“Wait no.” Nayeon mistepped. “Tzuyu bothered me in the first place. But Jihyo is bothering me by not wanting to help me.”

“Did you have to make everything complicated?” Nayeon baffles Jeongyeon once again.

“I dunno.” Nayeon raises her shoulders.

“Alright, how did Tzuyu bother our great Nayeon-unnie?”

“Funny, Jihyo just said that. I was just talking to her and she said exactly that, ‘our great nayeon unnie.” Nayeon took the wrong road again.

“I thought we were talking about Tzuyu.” Jeongyeon lassos Nayeon back to their world again.

“Oh yeah Tzuyu. Well it’s a long story.”

Jeongyeon takes a look at her phone. “We got about four hours to the show. And as you said, none of us are busy. I think we got a little time to spare.”

“Oh yeah.” Nayeon realizes. “Well, it goes a bit like this.”

“Oh wait, you’re telling the story now?” Jeongyeon is unprepared.

“Yeah, I thought you want to know now.”

“I do, lemme just¾” She zips to a nearby vending machine, inserts a bill, takes a can of coke, and; “Go.”

It was morning in the dorm. Everybody’s off doing their own thing. Chaeyoung and Dahyun are in the office to record Yes or Yes. Mina and Sana are still practicing  since last night. You, Momo and Jihyo, you guys left me. So that leaves me alone with the one and only Tzuyu.

As you know, I woke up really late. And when I opened my phone and see the number eight on it, I immediately rushed outside. Guess who I found in the kitchen cooking ramen. Tzuyu.

So as a normal friendly human would do, I said “Hi, good morning.”

Then Tzuyu replied with a “hi.”

And you know how I love a good morning conversation. So I asked “What are you cooking?”

“Ramen.” She replied.

I asked “Where is everybody?”

“I don’t know, gone.” She then said.

And so I asked something again, right? “Are you ready for the show today?”

Now with this question, she could’ve answer with a “Not really, how about you?” Or a “Yeah, we’re gonna nail this show.” Start a morning talk. But guess what? She became a fucking brick wall.

She replied with only the most basic kind of human communication. A “Yes.”

And so before her pack of instant noodles is cooked and ready. And before the two of us meets the point of absolute awkwardness. I can’t help but to sense, this girl doesn’t want me around. She wants me to shut my mouth.

And so that’s how I spent the morning in the dorm. With Tzuyu. In silence.                   

“That’s it?” Jeongyeon asks with her can of coke still halfway empty.

“That’s it.”

“Well Tzuyu has always been a quiet girl. And you’re a terrible storyteller.” Jeongyeon states nothing but the truth.

“To remind you, none of her answer were longer than a sentence.”

“Ok, maybe she’s quiet-er than she normally is.”

“So you’re on me in this?”

“What no, I’m not on you in anything.” Jeongyeon dissapoints Nayeon.

“Oh you’re joking.”

“I’m not. Tzuyu is a little girl, you know. She’s just not the type of girl who’d open up to everyone.”

“Not even the person she’s spent almost three years with?” Nayeon gives a sensible reason, for once.

“Ok, that’s a good point.”

“What should I do, Jeongyeon.”

“Oh now you’re asking me for help?”

“You’re the who asked me what’s going on.” She throws back.

“And you can’t do it yourself?”

“If I could do it myself, I wouldn’t have ask you to come here.”

“Why can’t you do it yourself again?”

“Jihyo couldn’t help me. And now my long-friend is in the same position?” Nayeon says, in a slightly angered tone. Let down.

Jeongyeon smiles. And when she can’t hold it anymore, she says; “I was just teasing you. I’ll talk to her.”

“Screw you.” Nayeon says, giggling Jeongyeon.

Nayeon lovingly stares at the laughing Jeongyeon. She smiles at her friend until she started laughing too. She laughs out of nowhere. Growing from a little laugh to a big laugh. To the point where Jeongyeon’s laugh is a mosquito sting compared to Nayeon’s.

“Why are you laughing.” Jeongyeon asks, staringly weirded out

“There are no eateries in this stadium, moron. I was just asking you to go with me to the toilet.” She points to a toilet sign as she continue her hysterical laugh.

Jeongyeon’s extreme perplexity turns into extreme exasperation. Jeongyeon one, Nayeon two.

“Laugh it up, grandma.”


	8. Epilogue 1: YOU IN MY HEART

Pots of meals, bags of snacks, and bottles and cups of drinks prepared to fill the staff, crew, and of course twice themselves are sitting flat on a table sticked up to the wall. Inside the waiting room with a ‘cafeteria’ sign hanging on its door. Facing the table, a sandwich is lying flat on another white table surrounded by four folding chairs with the same colour. In it, ham, a tiny slice of cheese, three strips of bacon, and some onion. Everything packed between the two light brown bread that were just toasted correctly.

The only reason the toast is lying down on the table instead of being munched by Tzuyu’s little mouth is its heat. Tzuyu is sitting on a chair, waiting for the toast to cool down. And while she waits, she’s taking a deep dive into her phone.

The door is knocked. Tzuyu turns her phone off to see who’s at the door.

“Hi, Jihyo-unnie.”

“Oh, hi Tzuyu.” Jihyo says with a sunny smile seeing her maknae.

“You’ve eaten yet, Jihyo-unnie?” Tzuyu asks with her cute and passive korean.

“It’s 2.43, of course I’ve eaten.”

But Jihyo didn’t come here for nothing, she has a little space to fill since her hefty lunch an hour ago. She looks over the ‘cafeteria’ table and she spots a yellow bag of chips.

“Yeah, a bag  of chips will do.” She grabs the bag of chips and pull a chair to sit across Tzuyu. She opens her bag and takes into the chips bag. “Can I ask you a question, Tzuyu?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Why aren’t you eating that sandwich?” She points the sandwich feminimely.

“Oh I was waiting for it to cool down. It was a little bit too hot for my liking.”

“Well I’m sure it’s not too hot for your liking, now.” Jihyo says, getting Tzuyu to grab the sandwich.

“But that’s not the question. The question is, is Nayeon bothering you?”

“Nayeon-unnie?” The little girl bites into the now less hot sandwich. “No. Not really.”

Jihyo knows too well that she’s not telling the truth. But at this point, Jihyo doesn’t want to bother herself to question deeper.

“Huh. Okay.” She digs the bag of chips instead.

 

“But Jihyo-unnie. I don’t quite understand everything.”

Jihyo stops taking her chips in, she mutters as she tilts her face curiously. “Hmm?”

“People hunt for the little things and I don’t know why.” Tzuyu says vaguely.

“Little things like?” Jihyo is getting into this one.

“Little things like… They look for my mother tongue, my thighs, my eyes. It really weirds me out sometimes.”

“What does that mean?” Jihyo asks even though she knows exactly where Tzuyu is going with this.

“It’s like. Remember that time—“

The door opens suddenly and loudly. At the same time, cutting Tzuyu of her words. Two lovely girls rush into the room. One walking faster than the other. One angrier than the other. They’re Chaeyoung and Dahyun with a cup of starbucks on each hands.

“Dahyun-unnie, Chaeyoung-ssi.”

“Tzuyu, Jihyo-unnie.”

“Tzuyu-ssi, Jihyo-unnie.”

“Dahyun, Chaeyoung.”

“You guys have eaten?” The leader asks the two.

“I’m still full.” Chaeyoung with a slightly blunt manner.

“I’m pretty hungry actually.” Dahyun says.

“Oh NOW you’re pretty hungry? We’ve drove all the way from the office and NOW you’re hungry?”

“I am, and if you have a problem with that you can—“

“CHOCOLATE”

A ringtone playing the song “Chocolate” by Day6 rings loudly. Shutting down everyone’s mouth in the room. It’s Jihyo’s phone and it’s Sana calling.

“Yeah?… You’re here?… Front gate?… Ok, I’ll be there…” Jihyo tells the phone. “You guys take care, Dahyun eat well, Tzuyu we’ll talk later. Gotta go.”

“Take care, Jihyo-unnie.” The maknae line tells Jihyo who is heading out.

Dahyun grabs a plate to fill it with rice while Chaeyoung goes to a couch at the other side of the room where she decides to be distracted by her phone. Tzuyu is in the middle of the room eating her sandwich. The atmosphere between Chaeyoung and Dahyun is something to be conditioned.

 

HALLWAY

“Quick question, is eight years a long time?” Nayeon washes her hands on the bright sink.

“Uhh, yeah that’s a long time.” Jeongyeon remarks while she stands resting on the wall.

“Another quick question, how about being friends for eight years?”

“Eight years? Yeah, that’s pretty decent. Why?” Jeongyeon returns a question while they go through the toilet door.

“I thought you’re known for being able to sense people’s thoughts.”

“Nobody said I’m a superhero.”

“What did Chaeyoung say, then?”

“Chaeyoung said I can tell where conversations are going. She didn’t say I read minds.” Jeongyeon corrects Nayeon. “But I can’t tell where this one is going”

“Are you kidding me? We’ve known each other for that long.” Nayeon hits Jeongyeon’s left shoulder with her rather humongous hand.

“We have?” Jeongyeon doesn’t remember.

“What’s two thousand and eighteen substracted by eight?”

“Two thousand and ten. Oh, 2010? We’ve been friends since then?”

“Come on, I don’t have to remind you of these things.”

“Yeah, but do you really have to keep notes on your friendships? Like how far they go?”

“Well, not really, but…” Nayeon looks for another way to address her point. “Ok, how about this. Eight is just a number and a year is…”

“A year is three hundred and sixty five days.”

“Yeah. And maybe eight years is insignificant for a lifetime. But for you and me, that’s a third of our lives.”

“Huh, never thought of that.”

“Besides, you can’t deny our relationship.” Nayeon says, jokingly alluringly.

“Relationship? Nayeon, we’re not dating.”

“No, I didn’t say— we’re not, but you can’t deny this thing we got going on.”

“This thing we  got going on? Are you serious?” Jeongyeon questions Nayeon’s corny words.

“Like, remember that time everybody left and we’re locked in the practice room? That’s our thing that’s been going on.”

“Or like that time we’re stuck in a bus station?” Jeongyeon adds another memory.

“After we watched captain america?”

“For a whole night because it was raining and no bus drove through?” She continues.

“Or that time I asked you to go to an eatery with me. Until you find out the restaurant doesn’t even exist.” Nayeon says.

“And you were just taking a piss? Oh sorry, wasn’t that just now?” Jeongyeon says without forgetting a smile, getting a big laugh out of the two of them. They laugh and they spend quite a time looking at each other lovingly as friends.

“Not to be gay Jeongyeon, but I love you. And I’m grateful to be friends with a girl like you.”

“Since you’re being corny right now. Have I mentioned that I love you too? And basically, this whole thing, man. This whole TWICE thing. I love every single one of you. I love every single second of it. I just can’t find me being me outside of this whole thing.”

“Let’s stay this way forever, shall we.” Nayeon tells her best friend. Her words from the deepest part of her deepest heart and soul. She truly wants this to never end.

Ever.

 

FRONT GATE

“How are we doing?” Our leader asks Sana who is standing right in front of the gate. Where Mina is standing a few feet behind her with a little coat.

“She’s doing it. She’s performing tonight.”

“What?”

“She’s being really persistent.” Sana says stealthily in case Mina hears her. “I can’t handle her.”

“I can handle it, Jihyo.” Mina moves forward.

“You’re sick, no.”

“I was, but I’ll be ok for the show.”

“Even if you’re okay right now, I’m not letting you go tonight.”

“That’s why I took some meds.” Mina sells Jihyo another reason to consider.

Jihyo isn’t buying it. Jihyo doesn’t want to bet on such a big risk for a member. She takes her hand to Mina’s forehead to check her temperature. It’s not really hot. And it’s not really cold. It’s moderate. Jihyo is almost convinced Mina is totally well. But she’s still struggling to give Mina an ‘okay’.

“How about this. After the show. I’ll be full resting after the show. No practices, no nothing.”

Jihyo is still not moving.

“Are you really going to perform a three hour show with only eight people on the stage?”

Jihyo considers everything that she has been taking. And she thinks hard. They have thousands of people to perform to. But letting Mina do the show could only make her cough even louder.

“Fine.” Jihyo gives in. “You’re a good dancer and singer. Do me a favor and don’t be that for a night. We need you again tomorrow.”

Mina smiles in finally hearing a ‘fine’ from Jihyo. One problem for the day is unsolved.

Then the three’s phone rang together. The manager started a group call.

“Dressing room In five, girls. Don’t be late.” The manager reminds for the make up applying and the hair styling at 5 PM.

It’s still 4.32. A half hour to the actual preparation. But why would Jihyo wait? She’s going now. Jihyo cuts to every chase she can cut to. Jihyo nods her head in signal to the two japanese member to go to the dressing room now instead of thirty minutes later.

Not long after, the nine of them are gathered in the dressing room. And in the fairly large room, mixed air are throwing against each other. The atmosphere is not well. And although none of the the hair stylist nor the make up artist in the room knows what is actually going on. TWICE themselves is fully aware of the mild tension in the room.

The moment everything is ready, the clock hits six PM.

The show is starting. Make ups are applied. Hairs are styled. Stage lights are set. The screen plays the vcr. Soundbar is pulled all the way up. Spirits are lit.

ONCEs are ready.

YOU IN MY HEART.


End file.
